Applix Linux Division Launches Collaboration and Support Site for Linux Developers and Users Worldwide

WESTBORO, MA -- July 15, 1999 -- Applix, Inc. (NASDAQ:APLX), a leader in applications for Linux and UNIX markets, announced today that the company has launched a new web site, www.SmartBeak.com, to bring together the support and collaboration needs of Open Source Software developers and users.

Users seeking help for issues relating to Open Source Software often have to use a combination of internet-based information sources to obtain the knowledge required to fix their problems. The purpose of SmartBeak.com is to simplify and accelerate this effort.

"We created the SmartBeak.com website to address the need in the Linux and Open Source Software community for a more structured approach to providing knowledge and managing support issues," said Jit Saxena, Chairman and CEO of Applix. "We are seeking to position SmartBeak.com as the website that brings users and developers together in one place and helps them to work together in a collaborative fashion. Futhermore, we believe that usage of this website will help foster the development of Open Source Software applications." SmartBeak.com users are able to search a knowledge base for documents containing information for solving their issues. The information is made up of How To, Frequently Asked Questions, HTML, and support database texts which SmartBeak.com automatically updates and indexes.

According to Michael Prince, Chief Information Officer, Burlington Coat Factory, "We are preparing to roll out a distributed network of Linux workstations and this project provides us with the challenge of obtaining support for certain components of our solution." He continued, "SmartBeak.com will be a valuable resource for us and our vendors to use as a knowledge base, support and collaboration mechanism."

LinuxPPC, Inc., the leading provider of the Linux operating system for the Macintosh platform, will be the site's first signed software partner. Jason Haas, Webmaster and technical support supervisor at LinuxPPC said, "SmartBeak.com represents an opportunity for us to manage our users� questions and problems, and gives us the ability to route and escalate issues to the developers in the community, many of which are geographically dispersed. In short, we expect that by using SmartBeak.com we'll be significantly improving the support and development of our Linux distribution."

Unlike many other web-based support sites for Open Source Software products, SmartBeak.com provides a problem report entry and tracking system to enable users to post questions or log issues and track their progress. Developers worldwide, responsible for products represented on the SmartBeak.com site are able to access these items, assign or escalate their priority and using SmartBeak.com's workflow engine, assign issues to the appropriate developers within their communities.

For each posted question or problem report that a user creates, a message board system allows other users and developers to collaborate on the resolution of the issues. A user customizable section of the site, called my.SmartBeak.com provides an instant update of the progress of their own issues.

About Burlington Coat Factory

Burlington Coat Factory Warehouse Corporation operates 263 stores in 42 states (including subsidiaries). The company's roots trace back to 1924 when Abe Milstein launched a successful wholesale outerwear business. In the 1950's, Monroe G. Milstein, President, CEO and Chairman of the Board, joined his father and began a small sideline retail trade. In 1972, the company began operations as a retailer through the acquisition of one coat factory and outlet store in Burlington, New Jersey.

About LinuxPPC Inc.

LinuxPPC Inc. develops distributions of Linux for PowerPC computers. The company's first release was in February 1997, and the fifth is currently under development. In addition to selling Linux CD-ROMs, the company sponsors development of Linux on PowerPC through major hardware donations.

About Applix, Inc.

Applix, Inc. (NASDAQ:APLX), headquartered in Westboro, Mass., develops, markets and supports web-based, front office business solutions, which allow organizations to improve decision-making and corporate productivity. The Front Office Business Solutions include the Applix iCustomer.Advantage suite of thin-client Customer Relationship Management (CRM) and real-time Business Intelligence applications: Applix iEnterprise, Applix iHelpDesk and Applix iTM1. In addition to its Front Office Business Solutions, Applix also provides a set of Decision Support applications, consisting of Applixware and Applix Anyware products. The Company's products are available on a variety of software platforms, including Windows, Windows NT, UNIX and Linux environments. More information can be found at www.applix.com and linux.applixware.com.

Notes to Investors

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements that involve a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially. Specifically, comments related to the demand for, revenue from and acceptance of the Company's products and the Company's position in the markets, may be considered forward-looking and subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to: the rate of growth in market demand for the products; the acceptance of the Company's products; intense competitive conditions; rapid technological change; frequent new product introductions and evolving domestic and international standards which may render existing products and services obsolete. Refer to the Form 10-K for the year ended 1997 for a list of factors as discussed under "Risk Factors ".

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